diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index 65b76379..8e9efd13 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -309,12 +309,14 @@ class XmlManifest(object):
     if not root or not root.childNodes:
       raise ManifestParseError("no root node in %s" % (path,))
 
-    config = root.childNodes[0]
-    if config.nodeName != 'manifest':
+    for manifest in root.childNodes:
+      if manifest.nodeName == 'manifest':
+        break
+    else:
       raise ManifestParseError("no <manifest> in %s" % (path,))
 
     nodes = []
-    for node in config.childNodes:
+    for node in manifest.childNodes:
         if node.nodeName == 'include':
             name = self._reqatt(node, 'name')
             fp = os.path.join(include_root, name)